Gov. Dunleavy Unveils Bold Education Legislation to Revolutionize Alaska’s School Policies

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy rolled out a new education bill aimed at changing both school policies and funding. He hopes the new law can be passed quickly so everyone—teachers, students, and parents—knows what to expect for the upcoming school year.

The proposal, known as House Bill 76 and Senate Bill 82, suggests increasing funding for students in different schooling options, such as correspondence and residential schools. This bill also promotes career and technical training funding, transportation support, and offers grants for reading programs. Additionally, it proposes annual bonuses for teachers to boost retention and recruitment.

Dunleavy emphasized that changes should come in both funding and policies. He expressed concern that focusing solely on funding is inadequate. “We take care of funding, and there’s never a conversation about policy,” he said, suggesting that both need attention.

A significant feature of the bill is its support for school choice, allowing students to enroll in any public school without fees. This includes neighborhood schools, charter schools, and correspondence programs. The legislation also aims to increase the number of charter schools by allowing more authorization from state or local entities in response to demand.

Another policy in the bill would limit cell phone use in schools, with specific exceptions for students with particular needs.

Financially, the proposal would allocate $117 million for the upcoming school year, with future funding that could rise to $181 million by 2026, helping to cover the teacher bonuses.

However, the bill faces competition from another proposal that seeks a higher funding formula for all students. This alternative bill aims to adjust the base student allocation to match inflation adjustments, which many feel is overdue.

Recent public comments indicate strong support for this base increase. Hundreds of Alaskans voiced their opinions to lawmakers, urging them to prioritize this funding for the next three years.

Representative Rebecca Himschoot stressed the need to boost school funding without sacrificing educational policies. “We need to give our schools some oxygen before making big policy changes,” she stated.

If it passes, House Bill 69 would add $1,000 in funding next school year, followed by increases in subsequent years. Over the last decade, the base student allocation has only increased marginally while inflation has surged.

Dunleavy pointed to new national test results to stress the urgency of this funding debate. Recent data revealed that Alaska’s fourth and eighth graders scored below average in reading and math, with many students not showing improvement from previous years.

Senate President Gary Stevens highlighted the crisis facing public education due to years of stagnant funding, urging a shift toward providing schools with necessary resources for better student outcomes.

The governor’s education bill is now in the hands of the education committees in both the House and Senate, where it will be discussed in the coming weeks.